Apple Extends Exclusivity Contract With AT&T Until 2010?

We've had our fair share of gripes and complaints about AT&T here at TiPb but we don't give them enough credit for trusting Apple and letting them go wild with the iPhone. Sure, they may be out to squeeze every dollar from their customers, but few carriers would even imagine giving Apple the freedom to create the. best. gadget. ever.

Plus, AT&T is well aware of the attention and added dollars they get by having an exclusivity agreement for the iPhone, so it comes to no surprise to us that one of those old, reputable, print companies is reporting that AT&T has added another year of exclusivity (until 2010 now). If AT&T were to lose the iPhone now, it'd be a complete disaster since the iPhone is starting to entrench itself in the market.

So I guess since AT&T will never give up on the iPhone, it's on Apple to make every customers dream come true and deliver a fully unlocked iPhone. Maybe then, carriers will begin to lower their prices and the power will come back to the consumers.

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Apple Extends Exclusivity Contract With AT&T Until 2010?

OK this ins not the best device out there ever.
come on, it has a kool interface, yes. but no mms unless you pay the bis data plan? does not qualify for insurance, yet i understand that if it reported to apple as a lost/stolen product it cant be activated on another account. can't personalize ring tones, warranty is through apple not ATT, does not do stereo blue tooth, wow, all those itunes and i have to used a wired head set or the phone speaker. the the glass screen breaks and that's it. a dead phone, won't work. No html support. Due to the 3g chipset batter life is now shorter, forcing you to buy a car charger, or have a charger at home, the office, car.
they gave it a plastic back side.
i will stick with htc
the only bennefit it did was make other manufacturers stand up and hear as to what people want, and how many sheeple are brain washed to buying this thing.

Just like all other electronic gadgets from memory chips to computer and TV, prices will eventually go down as demands saturate. Being said so, it may take as short as months or long as years, and accessories will be better designed, etc. Phone is just a phone, but Apple (and its partners) will definitely continue to improve from 3G to better b/c it's their bread and butter.
While it may have problems, as a new user, I find it worth every penny of the hardware even though I've been getting only free phones in the past (and was still not satisfied). In additions, at&t does a great job of data speed, at least in my locale, with ~3-5MB/sec data speed (yes upload too!!!). That is equivalent or better than Comcast cable or my speed at work!!!
Activation is simple. Applications are intuitive and very cheap (0.99-$6/ea). You will have so much fun using it, and for me, very productive. That's why I like it, a fast "mini computer" with high speed Internet. Once you own it, you won't want to give it up... until 4G!

Iphone Kicks all other PHones A** Bottom Line... Who cares everything has to mature with time and thats what Apple is doing.. So id advise you to get with the program and ditch your blackberry because its going to be like landline phones in 2020.. APPLE A DAY KEEPS EVERYTHING ELSE AWAY..

At&t is the worst service I have ever had! I love my i-phone, but would give anything to switch servers and keep all my apps! I have two phones just because the reception is so bad on my i-phone that I can't rely on it to have a conversation!!

The iPhone like many apple products doesn't necessarily have anything that other phones don't have they just seem to do all the things they do just a little better. The web browser being the main thing for me seems to work just a little better being useable on almost all websites wnd the interface seems a bit more seamless. Apple also has a plethora of applications some extremely usefull and some less so. Anyone who doesnt give this phone the credit it is due is due is blind. It is currently rewriting the rules for smartphones and if it were available on every carrier almost everyone would have one. The thing is even affordable if you get it apon activation of your contract. AT&T is the problem with this phone. They have terrible service and a whole list of rules that make working with their company more difficult, expensive and inconvenient for their users. They expect things like a five hundred dollar deposit for people that can activate a phone with Verizon for free and they will not let you purchase an iPhone through an authorized dealer it has to be AT&T directly or the apple store. When they lose this contract they will be losing the only reason people use AT&T and the only reason they don't have to lower their prices to where Sprint is now. Sprint seems to me to be the best value, atleaast in my market, they offer an un limited plan for $100 that actually is all inclusive and they roam on verizon towers so if Verizon has service, so will Sprint. The only thing I don't like about sprint is their lack of the iPhone. Pleeeease Apple, sell that phone to all providers.

I'm with Alan on this one. As soon as I hear Sprint will offer the iPhone for sale, I'll pull out my sleeping bag and spend the night before it's launch on the sidewalk in front of my area Sprint store.

lets be honest without iphone, at&t is dead. So the only logical choice for apple is to make at&t lower the profit they gain and invest it into making their network as large as verizon say. Or of course if they dont do what apple says theyll unlock their phone and someone will destroy AT&T. Personally i believe that apple should buy sprint, then have sprint take over at&t or apple buys att and buys sprint. otherwise the iphone will never stay with att

I strongly believe the only thing holding at&t, is the iphone. Without it, they have nothing. If Apple opens the iPhone to other providers, apple's profits should greatly increase, that would be the smart thing for apple to do, but we shall see what the higher up's in apple with their infinate knowledge will do.

My sister loves her iPhone. I love my iPod touch (it's just like the iPhone but no phone in it). I hate my Blackberry Storm. It's awful but a little faster since installing the recent software upgrade. I hate having to press the Storm screen to type. But I love Verizon and won't switch carriers. If Verizon eventually gets the iPhone my prayers would be answered. I typed this from my iPod touch.

I can understand all the frustration. I used to be one of the haters myself. However, since I've got one for my wife, I can understand with all the addiction that people have. Please remember, most of you can say what IPhone doesn't have, and you all have valid points. However, Apple did not make IPhone overnight with all features came from its crazy designer. They did years of research to understand what REGULAR people want (which cover 90% of the market). Regular people don't care about HTML as long as they can browse website. They don't care whether its bluetooth is stereo or not.
The point is that Apple marketing team has done a great job to understand what bigger market wants. Just like my wife, she's not a techy person. First time she found I bought her an IPhone, she was so afraid to use it. She just needed 15 minutes (literally) to fall in love with it. Just as someone said above, it has a 'kool' interface (which indeed), and this is exactly what MOST people want.

I was an iphone hater until I was given one to play with for 15 minutes & liked it but held out for about 9 months longer until it was my girlfriends birthday. She hinted she wanted one & that was it so, I purchased 2 of them one for myself & one for the girlfriend & The truth is the iphone itself is a quite frankly one of the best interface products I have ever owned with great Apps & some really silly ones, but its being supported by the most expensive carrier with the worst service & least coverage I have ever had.
In truth I had had to cancel my contract & sell the phones after 6 months due to some of these reasons but since then I have not been able to find a phone that can even come close to the design & convenience of the iphone. Having searched for the last 5 months for a phone that can come even close I have just frustrated myself & given up on exchanging carriers & phones to match the iphone (it’s just not going to happen). I have settled on Verizon & willingly admit they have a great network & coverage just about everywhere even in the small Midwest town her parents are from (they are the only carrier that works there hence my reason for having to change carriers) but all their phones cant even come close & I have had 2 company blackberries & played with the Storm too its all lacking & the interface is just way off compared to the precession of the iphone.
I am one of those people that can say without a doubt I am waiting on the day that Verizon gets an iphone & I will get one immediately. The truth be told I did not like AT&T from previous experiences years earlier but I still had to try then again due to the iphone & I don’t think they would even be around if they did not lock into the iphone deal when they did.
I have no brand Loyalty & just love a good product that works as its supposed to & the iphone does that period!

Apple is with att till the end, we are bringing in the most money for them. and we still have a LONG way to go till the contract is up, apple will never go to sprint! I HIGHLY dought sprint is going to go to sim cards in the neer future, and apple wont modify the phone to support their network, Lets just face it ppl sprint and tmoble will Never have the iphone. Im not saying that verison cant but it is a hugh maybe at least not till 2012 or later, Apple is greatly satisfied where their at and their not going anywhere. As for the coverage all I can say is will be way better...soon... Apple is the Best out there, way to go apple!! and att is the BEST!!!!

I currently have U.S. Cellular for service and love it! I switched to AT&T just so I could get the iPhone. Frankly, AT&T is terrible. I had dropped calls, I became a "minute counter" and I constantly had bad reception. I switched back to U.S. Cellular because they have the best service and cheapest price plans. I am hoping U.S. Cellular will pick up a contract with Apple. Then, U.S. Cellular would have it all.. best service and best phone!

AT&T is horrible. I've had a ton of problems and when I called them to complain (at least a dozen times), they said they'd start a trouble ticket, even though they hadn't received any reports of cell signal issues in my area. Believe it or not, they issued a trouble ticket for Los Angeles County. I have tons of dropped calls, bad reception, etc. AT&T has done NOTHING. I hate AT&T - they're a big rip-off!!! btw - this is my 3rd iPhone. The first one had issues like overheating, playing iTunes on speaker by itself, etc. 2nd one developed the same issues and the last one I had to pay full price for because it was more than 1 year after my original purchase date. They won't even give me a deal on upgrading to a new 3Gs.

The only other carrier that MIGHT ever carry the iPhone would be Verizon...but you folks REALLY need to be more "up to speed" on the launch of the 4G network.. ATT will more than likely launch their new 4G service in 2012. Not to mention, the iPhone has drasticly helped ATT in sales, but ATT(formerly Cingular) was always and still is only 2nd to Verizon in coverage and is actually LARGER in customer base if you include the international markets along with the USA. ATT has excellent service-hands down. If you dont have good service, then that's because your local government is trying to nick and dime ATT and they dont want to put up a tower in your area! ATT was successful BEFORE the iPhone and will remain successful if they lose the contract with Apple. You are looking at a company that is huge in Phone(landline), DSL, Wireless, and they are partnered with DirecTV for television...trust me, ATT is here to stay and will continue to knock other companies out of the running no matter what the race!
And for you "iPhone haters" out there, I mean, come on! Have you ever held one? Anyone who thinks the blackberry storm is better is out of their minds..that phone is a piece of junk! The touch screen is the worst! No other phone on the market can compare to the iPhone. If anyone is reading this and cant decide if they want to purchase and iPhone, stop kidding yourself and go get it! It's so easy to use, it has no instruction manual!

Iphone haters can go on and on and on about how great theyre phones are compared to the iphone but in the end they still wish they owned an iphone. My phone can do this..but its not an iphone. well, my phone can do this..but its not an iphone.

I agree about AT&T. My company, which is huge, got their contract with them this year. Now half the workers cannot get service at home. We are stuck with them for another couple of years but after that, I'm sure they will not be our provider. I have T-Mobile and love it - service is great. My husband has the G1 and he loves it.

PEOPLE WHO HATE i-PHONES ARE TOOLS. i-PHONE IS THE GREATEST PHONE/HANDHELD COMPUTER EVER. THE BLACKBERRY IS FOR CORPRATE FAGOTS WHO HAVE NO STYLE OR INDIVUDUAL FLAVOR. YOU STAND IN THE LUNCH LINE LAUGHING AT HOW "RISKAY" IT IS YOU WORE A PINK BUTTON UP TO WORK. YOUR ALL TOOLS.
GET AN i-PHONE YOU HATERS. ITS BETTER.

I had Cingular for abt 6 years prior to At&t, loved Cingular, hate AT&T service. To say AT&T cellular service is horrible would be a gross understatement, coupled with the iPhone At&t service is an abysmal abomination. Love the iPhone, but it's potential, reputation is diminished severely by such poor service as AT&T, can't wait for that contract to expire; I sense a huge AT&T customer base flocking to verizon in throngs...countdown is on..!

at jamie j. verizon does not use a sim card and uses evdo at&t both use the same type of towers they both use gsm and cdma if the iphone were to go to verizon or sprint they would have to change the cell radio in it and make it completely different and right now they have no reason to do that i think that apple is going to stay with at&t for quite a while even if people arent satisfied with their coverage

I had AT&T for 4 1/2 years and I hated it! HORRIBLE network coverage...CRAPPY reception and TERRIBLE service. I switched to VZW and I couldnt be happier...got a BB Storm and it's great couldnt ask for more in a phone, coverage, or customer service. I would love to have the Iphone on my provider but, AT&T is a big HELL NO!

Yes I heard that T-Mobile was adopting the Iphone or joining the ranks when it comes to selling it. Yes it is the end for at&t after they lose it, cuz they have nothing to offer But the HTC Tilt2 and some exspencive crappy servise.
Im not a big fan if the iphone, you cant customize it att all theirs no keyboard, low battery life and a one hit kill screen.
Im a Fan of HTC phones or phones that have an ANDROID main face, like the new DRIOD from verison.

I switched from Tmobile to At&t 2 months ago just for the iphone. Big mistake Hate At&t service i drop calls like every minute i litteral had to call my a friend 7 times before it actually went through horrible service. I Love my Iphone, but i really cant wait for Apple to pick another service provider. At this moment any other service provider would be better than At&t.

Add me to the list. For the last two years, every couple of months I go to the store and look at the iphones. When they are released to Verizon I will own one. I love apple products and hope the company is aware of how many of us want one.

Could someone enlighten me please??
I have been an AT&T customers since 2000. About a year ago, I broke my old cell phone so I had to get a new one. Recently, I am considering to get a smartphone, so getting an iPhone is my natural choice since I'm already an AT&T customer. However, due to my recent "upgrade" to another phone, AT&T would not allow me to get the iPhone at the retail market price ($199 or $299 for 3G); instead, I must pay $399 or $499 due to my illegibility to upgrade to another phone. I am willing to work things out by suggesting to "terminate" the contract (which comes with a termination fee of $120 in my case, for which I am willing to pay, and then to pay for the iPhone like everyone else does). But AT&T insists that I must pay the higher price for the iPhone, if I terminate my current contract, I will have to sign up a new contract which means I will lose my current phone number.
Now, get this, if I switch to Verizon and get the DROID phone, I can still have a smart phone and get to keep my current phone number. AT&T is well aware of my intention to go with Verizon but they seem to think that if I like the iPhone enough, I will pay the higher price since they are the only retailer of the iPhone.
Can someone enlighten me why would AT&T choose to lose a customer for life over $200 difference on a phone?? This does not make ANY business sense to me whatsoever. AT&T could have gotten $120 from me to buy that crappy phone, plus doing a new business with me for the iPhone and get to keep my family plan contract.
I like the iPhone but the HTC DROID is also very cool.

will someone tell me if I should buy an Iphone and switch from sprint to AT&T..as I read through all of this I hear Verizon -T-Mobile, Sprint..so what do I do..and does AT&T coverage really suck..I have had not one problem with Sprint coverage..but just want an Iphone-like them.. and is this iphone exclusive leaving AT&T and going with one of these other carriers instead and when will this be determined in 2010 which is just around the corner since this is December 2, 2009??
Help women to make this decision NOW???

The marriage of IPhone + ATT = What a disaster! The best phone in the States has teamed up with one of the worst carriers. Dropped calls galore, bad reception, spotty coverage, you name it.
So ATT laughed all the way to the bank by having exclusive rights to the Iphone but Apple would be making the dumbest move of the year if they lock themselves in solely with ATT any longer. The smart thing to do for them is to either unlock the phone or alter it to partner with one or two other carriers that have a superior network. Of course ATT is not going to want to see the goose that lays the Golden Egg slip thru their fingers. However, Apple should think of themselves and their responsibility to their present and potential customers first and foremost.

I want an iphone sooooo bad!!! But my dear husband can't/won't switch carriers from verizon to att due to the coverage issues. We run a home business and dropped calls and service breaks would paralyze the day to day work. So I am stuck with my BB Storm until the iphone comes over to verizon.

for all the iphone haters out there...dont be mad because the iphone is the best and keeps proving it each day. so what that att is making the iphone look bad everyone who knows the iphone will work on t mobile service and also t mobile will do tech support to get it up and going on their network minus 3g but who cares the iphone still has WIFI....the iphone is crippled due to att blocking all the services like mms and stuff it was not the iphone not supporting as it all worked on t mobile service. blackberry is mainly for business people but the iphone is ment for EVERYONE. its sad that it took apple for the cell phone companys to make a "wanna be iphone killer" when they could of been doing this before the iphone came out in the US MARKET and for people who talk crap and down to sprint .....sprint is the first wireless company to put out 4g and not even done with it yet as others are playing catch up and looking for a a company to go with so even if att keeps their contract longer people of a GSM network will still be able to enjoy the iphone with out the need of a att contract nor their creed to use their crappy over loaded 3g network.

To: Jordon #36, hope you are reading this. Transfer your cell if you decide to cancel to an ATT pre pay phone which can cost you about $20.00 bucks. You can always transfer your number as long as your account is and has been in good standing.

GAAAA!!! A bunch of cry babies! I get it, your mad your company doesnt offer the iphone and you cant switch because your still in contract.. Just admit it, remember your the one who signed it. I have att and have been all over the US and never experience the problems i hear these people belly aching about. Quite frankly its a lie! get the best service and phone all at one time. You know who that is.

Just in case anyone wants to know you can unlock the iphone and use it on tmobile's network because we all know that those 3 gmaps are for real cause att sucks. I worked there anything that we could do to get someone to buy an i phone and then not tell them about the service that they had in that area.

STRIP THE APPLE IPHONE OF ITS CUTE APPS, AND IPOD CAPABILITY AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE? A GENERIC CRAPPY PHONE, WITH CRAPPY SERVICE, AN EVEN WORST CAMERA, SLOW RUNNING BRICK OF A PHONE. GET WITH THE PROGRAM. BUY A HERO OR PALM (WHICH I OWN) AND STOP PLAYING WITH KIDS TOYS. U WANT APPS BUY A ITOUCH. YOU WANT AN AMAZING PHONE, DITCH UR TOY APPLE PRODUCT. DAMN FANBOYS. GET A CLUE PLZ...

I think its funny that people say Cingular was better than the new at&t since they are the same service, just a different name. Its called turn your phone off for at least a minute once a week and I can guarantee your service will be better. at&t isn't dead without the iphone... check out the freaking numbers between at&t and other wireless carriers and at&t will still have the same profit. I don't agree in all things at&t does, but its still the fastest service as long as you know how to use your phone. By the way if your standing right next to an at&t tower it won't work. Our service goes out and over rather than down and out. Last I checked I don't use service from the ground up. Dropped calls 99% of the time are your SIM card which probably needs to be updated. Between you and me the iphone is the most popular phone out there, and even if the contract between at&t and Apple are soon to be or are finished, what other company has it? Exactly my point. Take your head out of your ass and enjoy the finer things in life. Is it really worth your time of day to get heated over something you honestly cannot control? Have a beautiful day.

I honestly believe apple needs to provode the iphone to all carriers and not just at&t and verizon would be a better choise then at&ts spotty a** coverage and numerous dropped calls with or without an "updated" sim card at&t has nothing besides the iphone and customer service wise and not coverage wise cingular was a better company they actually gave a sh** about their customers and hopefully apple does go to verizon cause so will i as soon as it happens at&t is a joke

I've been Scr*wed by AT&T in the past and would NEVER get an ATT product or service. I tell everyone I meet about my bad experience with AT&T. I think AT&T has been mismanaged for almost a decade and when/if they lose the contact with iphone, they'll be done....I dream of the day then I can immediately go out and get an iphone from another carrier.

Now I read through the comments. I agree totally, the main problem with the iphone is the carrier. If you stay in major city's and highways your fine, but as for the rest of the U.s. your SOL. The phone itself is totally SWEET!!! Best phone I ever used. The apps to the layout. There is no other phone that can compete. Now I have owned an htc used my girlfriends dads phone an htc. My girlfriend has a blackberry. They sucked. Have to buy a hundred dollar software to transfer stuff from quikbooks contact list to the phones contact list. You have to pay for ringtones you can't make your own. The reasons go on. I have used the iphone, a work of art. All in all iphone needs a better carrier and keep making the iphone better and better. Oh' yah ipad. sweet!!!

I just wish that everyone would just shut up about the "will they, won't they" iphone on Verizon. It's stupid. If you want an iphone, shut up and go get one. If you dont like AT&T, then go to another carrier, just let it go. This is completely childish. Our economy is bunk right now, many hundreds of thousands of people are out of work, and barely able to make the bill payments, and somehow, somehow, there are people complaining about the iphone not being on Verizon? It's simple, verizon subscribers....VERIZON TURNED DOWN APPLE. I believe that should settle the matter, any questions? One more time for the ones that missed it, VERIZON TURNED DOWN APPLE. Can i just ask you that if you went to a company to launch your product, and they turned it down...you then go to someone else, and they agree to sell it, it's a hit and now everyone wants it, your not loosing revenue, and so would you then give your product to the company that snubbed their noses at it? No you wouldn't, and those that say you would are liers, and you know you are, so again...just shut up and go buy the phone, don't like AT&T, that's understandable, go to another carrier, and just pay full price for the phone and unlock it, as long as it's a GSM carrier....and that CRAP about Verizon's new LTE is the key to getting it on the network, forget it...it hasn't been tested, so why would you then go to an untested network. Remember everyone when GSM switch came along and everyone was upset? I do, i worked at CIngular then...everyone cancelled flat out, you think any different with Verizon? Why would Apple want to take a chance at loosing out? Think about it, you finally get it on Those whom which we shall not speak, and its horrible...cause the bugs in the network have not been worked out....you then Hate the phone, and network....some common sense would be great, i think i've put it out there in plain english...so, i don't know...and i also worked at Those whom which we shall not speak (verizon)...people couldnt use there phones in stores just like AT&T, and some had no problems....it's the same everywhere....so again, if you want the iphone, then go buy one...i have one and i love it, no problems, no dropped calls and works everytime....so hopefully you children will just get it and stop, Christmas is over.....

I work at Centennial Wireless. I actually own an iPhone and yes it is awesome, we have decent coverage with at&t and honestly no complaints thus far. I also own a Blackberry Curve with Centennial. Honestly, if you want a smart phone, get a Blackberry. Its got all the same stuff the iPhone does, just not quite so many of the ridiculous retarded apps. . . if you really need an atomic fart app: get an iTouch.
I would love to see Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint give AT&T a run for their money, because really, I wouldn't have gotten AT&T if it wasn't for the iPhone. But if you are locked in contract, or you hate AT&T or you just plain don't want to deal with a different network, you can get most of the same bells and whistles with most of all the other smartphones! You might just like the Blackberry if you go get one, they have tons of models!

Apple is reported to be preparing a CDMA based iPhone which would be compatible with the networks of Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. This is great news because I have always wanted an iPhone but I hate the terrible service and coverage from AT&T. I currently have Sprint and am very satisfied with the service I receive. The coverage is great and service is very affordable. As for the phone I have with Sprint, it is less than desireable. I have a HTC Hero which operates on the Android platform. The phone lags a lot, and shuts down if it is overwhelmed(which obviously is frequently). If Sprint and Verizon get the iPhone, Apple could become one of the mightiest if not the mightiest phone manufacturers in the market. The only bad news about it is that it is not likely to see a Sprint or Verizon iPhone anytime this or early next year.

Ok so maybe ATT isn't the best phone company out there but who in the H said that Sprint was any better, the only reason Sprint has good plans now is because they lost a lot of customers due to their crappy service and very rude customer service. I speak from experience (6 yrs), I left Sprint along time ago and will never go back, I tried a small phone company ( Pocket) for a while- it was an ok company, I now have an IPhone w/ATT and the service is ok and the customer service is good, God forbid the day Sprint take over the IPhone any other company will due actually any other company but Sprint, Please.

lol AT&T is the best wirless co, sprint is garbage, let me tell u when sprint has to offer a box to get reception in ur home for service tthats says enough for me,GARBAGE! Verison is a HATER they only are slightly larger then att cuz they bought altel and their service sucks, my friends calls on verizon drops like after a hr of talking. AT&t is great and i never have servoce problems and not to mention they have waive up to 200$ in overages for me on texting on several occations! ATT rocks thats why they got IPHONE and the WINDOWS 7 phone!

I haven't checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend :)